


What Really Matters

by JJBlue1



Category: Joker Game (Anime)
Genre: Based on "JG Drama CD 5 A Parody Box Full of What-Ifs Track 3 Restaurant Parody, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-25
Updated: 2018-02-25
Packaged: 2019-03-23 21:24:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13796646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JJBlue1/pseuds/JJBlue1
Summary: Set in the restaurant AU from  "JG Drama CD 5 Track 3". Saint Valentine day is approaching and the restaurant employers are fearing a certain someone might end up ruining it. As if matters weren't bad enough their leader won't be around...





	What Really Matters

**Author's Note:**

> Many, many, many thanks to Paranoid-rhythm for translating the drama cds! Without those translations I wouldn't have been able to write this story! Also yes, I know that the Joker Game fandom is slowly dying out but if you're still alive and enjoyed this fic I would apprecciate if you were to let me know! It feels sort of sad to write for the void only...

As Sakuma entered in the kitchen he stopped only a moment in his track as he saw 7 pair of eyes staring at him pointedly, before closing the door with a sigh.

“Well, what is it that’s so urgent and drastic it couldn’t wait?” he asked, even though he feared he already knew the answer.

“Sakuma-san. As the part timers’ leader you’ve to do something. That guy is going at it again! He’ll ruin everyone’s Saint Valentine day!” Kaminaga pointed out in a whining tone. 

Sakuma sighed again at that.

“Aren’t you exaggerating a little now, Kaminaga? I already talked with Miyoshi about this the past year and he said he would reflect on his behaviour so I don’t think this year there will be troubles…” he claimed though he didn’t sound as sure as he’d like. With Miyoshi one could never say.

Despite the long discussion he had with him one year ago and, even though he had listened to all his complains and some of them were even sensate, Sakuma still had no idea why Miyoshi was **SO** against giving chocolate as a present during Saint Valentine day. After all, despite everything, it was just a way for people to show their feelings to the ones they liked, and Sakuma really couldn’t see anything terribly wrong in this. But well, Miyoshi begged to differ and there had been no way to persuade him of the contrary. Still, this wasn’t an excuse good enough to ruin the day for who didn’t share his aversion for the chocolate exchange.

“You really think a talk you had with that guy the past year would stop him from throwing a fuss this year as well? Man, surely you’re naïve…” Hatano commented crossing his arms behind his head and leaning against the wall. Among them he knew Miyoshi by the longest time so his opinion on what Miyoshi would or wouldn’t do was, sadly, the most reliable one there.

“Miyoshi said…” Sakuma tried to protest anyway, only to be interrupted by Kaminaga.

“Miyoshi is already starting to glare at whoever bring up the words _‘Chocolate’_ and _‘Valentine’_! He’s deliberately scaring all the girls from making us presents! If this continues we’ll get no chocolate this year as well! It’ll be a real tragedy!”

“Is this why you’re so worried? Kaminaga! How many times I’ve to say not to flirt with our customers? It’s bad working ethic!” Sakuma reminded him, ready to start another of his scolding.

“But Sakuma-san, if the girls offer on their own wouldn’t be rude from us to refuse their pure feelings?” Amari asked in a reasonable tone, as if, for him, accepting chocolate was merely an act of kindness.

Sakuma hesitated only for a moment at that, before remembering that Amari was the other person in the staff who familiarized a little too much with their female customers. Amari was kinder with them than Kaminaga, that was for sure, but too much was still too much. Sakuma frowned.

“I’m sure you’re completely capable to smooth talk them into not being offended.”

Jitsui made a polite laugh before joining the conversation.

“Still, Sakuma-san, don’t you think Miyoshi-san’s behaviour might be also due to you?” Sakuma blinked as he stared at Jitsui’s gentle smile. It was hard to remember that Jitsui too was interested in his own share of chocolate when he was smiling so innocently. “I think Miyoshi-san might be upset because he believes his boyfriend is going to accept chocolate from one of those girls.”

“What? Why should he be? First of all I don’t usually accept it, Miyoshi is not that insecure and anyway we weren’t even together the past year and, despite this, he really threw a huge ruckus about sharing chocolate just the same!”

Glances were exchanged. Evidently Sakuma-san hadn’t noticed Miyoshi had been interested in him from the moment he set foot in that family restaurant and Sakuma-san had greeted him with a simple _‘welcome’_. Hatano sighed and thought Sakuma-san and Miyoshi sure were an odd match but, as long as they were both happy with each other, it didn’t really matter to him.

“Just buy Miyoshi chocolate. It’ll shut him up,” he suggested. “Expensive, classy one, of course, possibly a western brand.”

“I could make some chocolate for you, if buying it is a problem. Or teach you how to do it,” Fukumoto volunteered and Sakuma thought that they had to be really annoyed by Miyoshi’s behaviour if even Fukumoto, who wasn’t invested at all in getting chocolate from the girls, was willing to help stop it. Still…

“I can’t give him chocolate when he said so loudly and so often he thinks the lowest of people who hands out chocolate on Saint Valentine and of the people who accepts it. Besides it’ll be rude as he clearly doesn’t want it! Also I’m not even a girl! Isn’t this a girl’s job?”

“That’s true but considering you’re both males I don’t think it’ll matter if you’re a girl or not. Anyway, if you’re really against giving him chocolate, why not simply bringing him out to have lunch or dinner in one of those cute restaurants he so likes? He surely wouldn’t turn **THIS** down and, for this once, we can replace the both of you here at work just to let him enjoy the day.”

Everyone else nodded at Tazaki’s suggestion, believing it was the best idea ever. This not only would have pleased Miyoshi but would have left them free of his presence for either lunch or dinner and everyone was willing to do some extra work in exchange for this. Miyoshi was very good at his work… or at whatever he set his mind to (except maybe cooking but, he used to say, only because he really hated doing it), but Miyoshi was also too nitpicking and criticizing and definitely didn’t live Saint Valentine day in the right spirit. So really, they couldn’t really be blamed if they wanted Miyoshi out of their way.

“Miyoshi’s favourite restaurants aren’t _‘cute’_ they’re hellish expensive,” Sakuma groaned, covering his face with his hand and reminding the last time he had to bring Miyoshi in one of them. “And anyway I can’t bring him anywhere that day. A three days meeting for selected staff members will be held in Kyoto and the last day of it will be the 14th of February. The manager said I will have to take part to it as representative of our restaurant staff. Odagiri, you’ll have to come as well.”

“Understood,” Odagiri said simply without stopping to wash the dishes. Fukumoto didn’t comment nor changed his expression but everyone knew he wasn’t pleased with this new development. There were reasons if Fukumoto was trying out all those difficult chocolate recipes recently and none involved the customers of the family restaurant they worked in.

“We’re all screwed, that’s it! Sakuma-san, you’re cruel! You’re abandoning us here to suffer!” Kaminaga whined in a manner not fitting his age, dropping his head on the table. Sakuma shrugged.

“You’ll live without chocolate, Kaminaga, and this experience might teach you something about working ethics,” Sakuma’s disinterest for the problem didn’t last in face of everyone else’s pitiful gaze. Sadly he knew very well what a pain Miyoshi could be when he decided to. He sighed as he rubbed the back of his head. “Fine, fine, before leaving I’ll talk to Miyoshi again, all right? I’ll make sure he won’t go overboard.”

“You’ll better. I bet that guy just hate Saint Valentine because he never got chocolate in his whole life, which is to be expected because who could ever stand going out with him? Well, except you, I mean. Though, to be honest, actually I don’t even get how you can put up with him!” Truth to be told Kaminaga didn’t get either how Miyoshi could put up with Sakuma-san but that wasn’t the best moment to point it out.

Sakuma glared in reply to Kaminaga’s words. Although it was true Miyoshi was a little hard to get along with, Kaminaga seemed to be a tad too prone into nagging Miyoshi about not being someone people would consider dating and this was going on even now that he and Miyoshi were together. Sure, Miyoshi was perfectly capable to defend himself and retaliate if he wanted to (and in a rather terrible and frightening manner Sakuma might add) but still…

“Kaminaga, if you try again to bully Miyoshi with this story he can’t keep a boyfriend while I’m not here I’ll put you on cleaning duty and I’ll have Miyoshi overlooking you as you do.”

…still Sakuma would do his best to cover his back. After all that was what boyfriends were for, wasn’t it?

“What? That’s torture, Sakuma-san! Everyone, tell Sakuma-san he can’t do this!” Kaminaga protested, looking around. It wasn’t his lucky day though.

“I’ll be happy to check for you if Kaminaga will behave while you’re not here, Sakuma-san,” Jitsui assured with an angelic smile that made Kaminaga shudder. That little sadist wouldn’t hesitate to put him in troubles just for the fun of it!

“Thank you, Jitsui. Well, since we’re all set you can finish with the closing and go home while I’ll go check if Miyoshi had finished his work or he needs help. Good work everyone and make sure you won’t go home too late, all right?”

A chorus of yes answered him before Sakuma-san left the room.

* * *

As Sakuma had expected Miyoshi had predictably already finished registering all the accounts for the day and was waiting for him seated at the desk, a bored expression on his face.

“You took a lot,” he commented without even looking at him. “Did you at least manage to solve this _‘oh so terrible’_ emergence which couldn’t wait even a second?”

“You eavesdropped, didn’t you?” It wasn’t a real question. Sakuma felt like groaning, he should have expected it. Miyoshi didn’t bother dignifying him with a reply as he evidently considered well within his right to check what was discussed behind his back, especially if it involved his boyfriend. Sakuma had long given up on trying to persuade him otherwise.

Still, he thought hard at something he could say in the others’ defence that wouldn’t sound offensive toward Miyoshi… but it wasn’t exactly easy to find a polite way to tell him the others judged him impossible to deal with on Saint Valentine day. He was spared from searching for something that likely didn’t exist by Miyoshi himself.

“So, when exactly were you thinking to tell me you’ll leave for Kyoto?”

Oh. So that was what was troubling him. Well… it was sweet in a way.

“You were meant to be the first to know. I’m sorry things went otherwise,” and then, as an extra apology, he gently stroke Miyoshi’s hair, careful not to ruffle them, taking advantage of the fact not only he was maybe the only one in the world who had permission to touch Miyoshi’s precious hair but also that Miyoshi enjoyed the way Sakuma petted him, even though he would never admit it.

It worked somehow as Miyoshi’s posture eased a little. A little.

“Sakuma-san. Do you really think to do something stupid like resuming the discussion we had the past year about this stupid celebration?”

A year ago the answer would have been yes. Now though, Sakuma knew better than to just launch himself into a scolding.

“I don’t know, Miyoshi. Do you think I’ve to or will you make an attempt not to make everyone else miserable?” His hand though continued to slid through Miyoshi’s hair slowly, still careful not to mess it up. Miyoshi didn’t lean into his touch but he didn’t pull away either, which in itself meant Sakuma was allowed to continue.

“It’s a stupid western celebration and the others are morons if they give it so much importance.”

There were many things Sakuma could counter, starting with how Miyoshi was usually the one who was western enthusiastic, to how it wasn’t Miyoshi’s business if the others wanted to indulge themselves in a western celebration. All those options though would lead to an argument, and that night he didn’t really want to argue. Not only he doubted an argument would lead him somewhere but also… he wouldn’t see Miyoshi for three days. The last he wanted was to leave while there was bad blood between them.

“All right. They are. But, as long as they, and especially Kaminaga, respect working ethics, it doesn’t do any harm to let them celebrate whatever they like the way they want to, does it? Besides, I can buy you chocolate in the remote chance you want me to.”

Miyoshi glared, but Sakuma kept on smiling at him patiently and so, with a huffing sound, it was Miyoshi who turned away his gaze.

“Don’t you dare. I won’t partake in this general silliness.”

Stubborn. So infuriatingly stubborn. Sakuma knew he too could be extremely stubborn but sometimes he got the feeling Miyoshi topped him. Still, since Miyoshi too was sort of dropping the discussion, Sakuma knew this meant that, at least, Miyoshi would make a vague attempt at letting the others be and this for Sakuma was enough.

“All right. Let’s go home then?”

“Let’s go,” Miyoshi agreed as he stood. “Though, Sakuma-san… when this idiotic celebration has finished I wouldn’t mind going with you to eat out in a decent restaurant,” he said casually, shooting Sakuma one of his trademark grins.

Sakuma rolled his eyes.

“Miyoshi, your idea of decent restaurant is well over my economical possibilities.”

“Is it supposed to be a no then? Sakuma-san never bring me out!” The tone was petulant, childlike and teasing. Sakuma knew it was Miyoshi’s way to let him know how Sakuma’s effort to be accommodating had been, at least, appreciated. He wasn’t sure his talk with him had been successful though, since he really had no idea why Miyoshi was so against Saint Valentine in the first place. But well, small victories were better than no victories at all.

“You find a place with reasonable prices and maybe we’ll talk about going there.”

“Maybe?”

“It’ll depend on with how many complains about your behaviour I’ll have to deal with when I’ll be back.”

Miyoshi made a long suffering sigh as he walked next to Sakuma-san.

“Sakuma-san… You really won’t let go of this, do you?” Miyoshi didn’t wait for the man’s reply as he shook his head in fond disapprobation. “Sakuma-san is so stubborn…”

…but Sakuma-san was really being a tad too accommodating that day. Usually he was much stricter and scolding prone, even if it involved Miyoshi. Sakuma-san didn’t really want to do favouritisms on work, not even for his boyfriend. Miyoshi could easily figure why he was trying his hardest to make sure they wouldn’t argue that night.

“Well, since in those three days Sakuma-san won’t be here to pretend we’ll go to bed earlier, I’ll get my chance to stay up till late and I also won’t have to turn off my phone as Sakuma-san will not be there to complain if someone calls in the middle of the night and wake us up.”

They exchanged a glance.

Sakuma knew perfectly well that not only Miyoshi didn’t turn off his phone each night out of consideration for him (Miyoshi couldn’t stand to people bothering him in the middle of the night), but also that, unless they were spending the time making love, Miyoshi was very invested in getting his share of _‘beauty sleep’_. Sakuma didn’t point it out though, unsure where this was leading to.

Miyoshi frowned at the lack of reply and looked elsewhere. Did Sakuma-san really have to make him spell it out? He didn’t like to voice that sort of things but… he sighed. Sakuma-san would do better to appreciate the things he did for him and him only.

“You can call me if you want to, you know? In case you get homesick while you’re away. I won’t complain.”

For a moment Sakuma paused in his track and just stared at him. Miyoshi paused as well as he realized the other had stopped.

“Sakuma-san. Why are you standing there? I want to go home.” Miyoshi sounded exasperated but Sakuma knew better. Miyoshi too had a gentle side, carefully kept hidden behind that _‘I’m so much better than you’_ look he had when he gazed at the other people, even though he showed it only rarely and solely to him. The small things he did for Sakuma… were Miyoshi’s clumsy attempt to tell him he mattered to him, that he wanted him in his life.

Something squeezed Sakuma’s heart painfully. Even though it was only going to be three days… he didn’t really want to part from Miyoshi. It felt as if he already had done it, in the past, and then never had the chance to see him again. But, of course, he couldn’t say this to Miyoshi. He would call it an asinine thought. Oh, Gods, he was so going to miss him…

“I can’t. I can’t call you each time I feel homesick. It’ll be bad working ethic if I bother you so many times while you’re at work. Especially if I’m supposed to pay attention to the meeting instead.”

Miyoshi’s eyes widened for a moment, a fraction of a second before he’ll manage to cover up his surprise and just give him a fond smile. What the man had been trying to say… was he would miss Miyoshi much more than the latter had anticipated.

“Sakuma-san, you’re such a big sap sometimes… I don’t know how I put up with you…” but Sakuma knew in his own way Miyoshi liked this side of him as well. He won’t be caught alive admitting it, but he liked it. Miyoshi loved to be important for him, loved the way Sakuma cared for him. “Let’s go home now, Sakuma-san. I know better ways to spend the night than just standing here.”

Sakuma nodded as the two resumed walking toward home.

* * *

As Miyoshi had suggested him to do, Sakuma-san had phoned him in the past days. They had long phone calls each night, and short ones during the day, each time Sakuma-san knew Miyoshi had a break from work. Miyoshi hadn’t complained for Sakuma-san’s phone calls, not even once, which was his own way to tell the other he was happy with the calls, even though he had taken care each time to let the phone ring five times before picking it up and never, **NEVER** called back.

After all he didn’t want Sakuma-san to get the wrong impression he was anxious to talk with him as well and that he too missed him and spent all his free time when no one was looking staring at the phone because this wasn’t what he was doing. At all.

He didn’t want Sakuma-san to start thinking weird things like how Miyoshi could be the needy, insecure person in their relation. He wasn’t.

It was just he had grown used to have Sakuma-san around, with his scolding, his complains, his chattering, his weird worries and beliefs, his love for whatever was national and his passion for swords, his honest and straightforward personality, his huge sense of duty, his clumsy kindness and fond, genuine smile.

The house felt empty without Sakuma-san moving through it, Miyoshi mused as he turned on the stove and tried to force himself to cook dinner. He hated cooking and normally actively avoided doing it, also thanks to Sakuma-san who would take upon himself the task of preparing food for them both. Sakuma-san would never become a great chef or someone vaguely close to Fukumoto’s level, but what he cooked was decent enough and Miyoshi had gotten used to eat the food he prepared.

Having to go back to prepare food for himself was surprisingly very annoying… and lonely somehow.

Diligently he also filled the bowl of Yoru, Sakuma-san’s cat, with food, even though the black feline wasn’t around and didn’t dignified to show up, not even when Miyoshi placed the bowl down on the floor. Evidently that useless cat was still outside, only the Gods knew where, probably to mate with some female maybe after giving her a mouse, in some sort of feline version of a Saint Valentine gift. Disgusting. No matter what Sakuma-san were to say, Yoru was a stray and the man shouldn’t have _‘adopted’_ him.

But Sakuma-san was weak against cats and Yoru had come to live with Sakuma-san prior to Miyoshi and Miyoshi knew better than to hope Sakuma-san would kick him out. Sakuma-san surely intended to take care of Yoru for the rest of the feline’s life and never get rid of him.

Miyoshi sighed quietly. He felt tired, more than usual. It had been a long day after all, and more bothersome than usual and all due to the many lovebirds that had infested the family restaurant he worked at.

Still, even though his mood hadn’t been good, he had let Kaminaga and the others cheer on the chocolate they had received from whose naïve girls who also had the gall to complain on how Sakuma-san wasn’t there to serve them and deal with what, Miyoshi was sure, would be their pathetic attempts to push on him their poorly homemade chocolate or their cheap store brought chocolate, chocolate which Sakuma-san would surely turn down because Sakuma-san wasn’t a two timer and therefore wouldn’t accept anything by someone who wasn’t Miyoshi.

Sakuma-san would throw a fuss if someone were to suggest otherwise, Miyoshi had experienced it firsthand. In any other case he would have called it hypocrisy. Sakuma-san though was really incapable of betrayal and would get really angry if someone were to suggest otherwise and Miyoshi didn’t feel like having an argument of that magnitude with him for the rest of his life.

Oh well, at least this meant he didn’t have to worry even if Sakuma-san was currently out of his sight and far from him. Sakuma-san would never cheat on him and Odagiri was also there to keep an eye on him, just in case someone were to try to drug Sakuma-san or trick him in any other way so as to claim him for himself or herself. Sakuma-san could be naïve after all and, without Miyoshi to watch over him, it would be easy for others to take advantage of the man.

Sure thing it would have been better if Sakuma-san were to be where Miyoshi could check on him and make sure nothing would go wrong. After all what if Odagiri were to get distracted and… and…

Miyoshi frowned, then cursed as he realized he had gotten so lost in such a course of thoughts he almost burned his dinner. Maybe he should have accepted Fukumoto’s offering and remain at the restaurant to eat. Fukumoto never minded cooking for his fellow workmates. Only, to Miyoshi, it felt a little pathetic to remain there to eat because he had no one to cook for him at home, especially on that stupid western holiday.

He knew Kaminaga would have commented on it, actually it was suspicious enough he hadn’t said a single thing in that regard but something had to be up between him and Jitsui, because sometimes it looked like Kaminaga wanted to say something but then he would look at Jitsui’s smile and shut his mouth.

Miyoshi hoped Sakuma-san hadn’t done something stupidly overprotective as usual, because he knew just fine how to defend himself from Kaminaga’s silly comments. Though of course Sakuma-san wouldn’t be Sakuma-san if he weren’t to uselessly over-worry about silly things. In a way this too was part of Sakuma-san’s charm… which was why Miyoshi would appreciate if now Sakuma-san would uselessly worry a little about him and phone him, just to check how Miyoshi was.

Miyoshi would like to have someone with whom he could complain about how he had to cook dinner for himself instead of having his boyfriend do it for him.

Sure, Sakuma-san was meant to be back by tomorrow morning… but this wasn’t a really good reason for skipping to call, at least only to wish him goodnight. He expected Sakuma-san to have better manners than this.

Miyoshi frowned as he munched on the unsavoury food he had managed to make. Actually Sakuma-san **HAD** better manners than this. Something had to be up. What though?

Not that he was worried, he told himself as he casually pulled out his phone, checked again if there were missed calls or incoming messages and, when it turned out there weren’t, began skimming through last hours news, paying special attention if they mentioned something worth his attention in the area of Kyoto. Nothing, it seemed.

Maybe they had an after meeting dinner or some sort of celebration for the end of the meeting. Hopefully not a Saint Valentine party. Maybe Sakuma-san had been dragged into it and couldn’t find the time to call as he was busy _‘socializing’_. Miyoshi shook his head, knowing this wasn’t something Sakuma-san would do. Sakuma-san wouldn’t busy himself _‘socializing’_ so much he would have no time to call Miyoshi.

Probably Sakuma-san only forgot to charge his phone so now he couldn’t call and… and no, this too wasn’t something Sakuma-san would do either, he mused as he washed the dishes. Maybe he lost his phone recharger though and… Sakuma-san? Losing something? No way.

All right, probably they had stolen it from him and… No, Odagiri was with him, he would have noticed if someone were to try to stealthy steal Sakuma-san’s phone… and if someone were to try by brute force… well, Sakuma-san would have know how to handle him. Besides, if something had happened to Sakuma-san’s phone, Sakuma-san could always use Odagiri’s… assuming the man wasn’t busy phoning Fukumoto.

For a moment he felt tempted to check on Fukumoto or Odagiri or… anyone who could know what was going on really, then dismissed the idea. It was stupid and paranoid. Sakuma-san was a grown up man, albeit a tad too naïve and earnest, and knew how to take care of himself. Even though he wasn’t phoning to Miyoshi, it didn’t have to mean something was wrong. Maybe if he didn’t phone it was just because he didn’t want to and…

He slumped on the couch, picked the remote and did some zapping among the channels without even looking at them.

Sakuma-san was probably just tired and that was why he wasn’t phoning. It was understandable. It didn’t have to mean anything bad. Miyoshi was just being greedy if he expected Sakuma-san to keep on phoning him each time he had a free moment. Miyoshi knew he had to be careful in the behaviour he kept. He didn’t need Kaminaga to remind him how he wasn’t really good at keeping a relation with another human being.

He knew.

But all the past people he met with hadn’t felt important enough to make an effort. Sakuma-san had been different. Sakuma-san was different and so Miyoshi always did his best to handle that relationship with care… his own way. After all Sakuma-san was serious, honest, genuine and truly cared for him and… and why wasn’t he calling now?

He was startled when Yoru jumped on his lap and looked up at him expectantly.

“Hey. I’m not Sakuma-san. I don’t have to pet you when you feel like it.”

The cat meowed in reply and leaned his head against him, purring. Normally Yoru didn’t even try to come close to him, now instead… Miyoshi stared at him then decided since it was just the two of them, it would do no harm if he were to pet him a little. Maybe, if he were to do it, he would understand why Sakuma-san liked to stroke that annoying feline’s fur so much.

“What’s this, why so affectionate, afraid if Sakuma-san isn’t back you’ll have to depend on me for food?” the cat paused in his purring and gave him a look that seemed to say _‘dumb human’_. A coincidence or an impression of course, because Miyoshi believed Yoru wasn’t intelligent enough to understand what he were to say, which was why, differently from Sakuma-san, normally he didn’t bother talking with him. Today though…

“You’re just missing Sakuma-san, don’t you? There’s no reason to worry. The house is Sakuma-san’s so he’ll have to come back here. Besides you’re his beloved cat. There’s no way Sakuma-san would abandon a cat, even a stray one like you.” He didn’t even realize, as he spoke, when his arms had wrapped around Yoru, only that now the cat was contently purring in his embrace. He was warm. Not like Sakuma-san but… warm.

“You’re one hell of a lucky cat to have a master who loves you and put up with you regardless of the mess you do through the house and the times you scratch him, and the cost of your food and the fur you’ll leave all around the house and all the times you ignore him and… everything really. There’s plenty of better people in this world who has no one, yet you’ve Sakuma-san. You’re a lucky cat and your master spoils you way too much.”

He sighed. If Sakuma-san were here… it would probably be Miyoshi who would be sprawled on the man and fussed over as they watched some historical movie Sakuma-san liked, Sakuma-san’s hand stroking Miyoshi’s hair, while Miyoshi would either lean there or busy himself reading a book and informing here and there Sakuma-san of the most interesting info it contained, without really worrying to interrupt the man from watching his show since Sakuma-san always seemed to appreciate when Miyoshi wanted to share something with him. Moments like those… were quiet, yet so precious for Miyoshi he…

Yoru escaped from his embrace and his lap abruptly, his nails grazing Miyoshi’s skin slightly before the cat jumped on the floor and ran away, leaving Miyoshi dumbfounded and displeased. What had gotten in that stupid cat, why did it have to leave, he had done nothing wrong, he was actually being kind with him for once so why… then he too heard it, the key being inserted in the door and the next he knew was he was standing in the corridor, watching the door as someone from the other side was unlocking it, Yoru scratching it as well in a pathetic attempt to open it from inside.

Then, as the door opened, a familiar silhouette appeared, Yoru immediately going to rub against its legs.

“Sakuma-san. I thought you’ll be back tomorrow.” It wasn’t what he wanted to say and it wasn’t how he wanted to sound but it was too late to pull back his words and so he could only walk closer slowly, as if he were in no hurry to get there while Sakuma-san set down his luggage, his coat and shoes.

“I was supposed to, wasn’t I?” From the moment he got in, his eyes had hardly left Miyoshi. Miyoshi thought if Yoru kept on rubbing against his legs and Sakuma-san kept on not looking where he walked he would end up on tripping so it was probably better if he was close to catch him when he would inevitably fall. He could complain later about Sakuma-san being too distract for his own good.

He got too close though, because he felt Sakuma-san’s hand on his cheek and the man hadn’t tripped yet and…

“Odagiri and I decided not to sleep in Kyoto and just left as soon as the meeting was ended and drove back here.” Miyoshi nodded and made a sound that was meant to be of understanding at that explanation. Or maybe he just swallowed and nuzzled into Sakuma-san’s hand. He wasn’t really sure. “I missed you, Miyoshi.”

Then Sakuma-san was hugging him, that sort of bear hugs Miyoshi got when Sakuma-san was particularly happy to see him. Tight, warm and welcoming. The sort of hugs that meant he was precious and loved and missed and wanted. The sort of hugs he never got from anyone else.

“You’re really silly, Sakuma-san. Don’t tell me you drove all that way from Kyoto to here. It’s six hours of travel in the car and… and you’ve been missing for three days only and…”

“I missed you,” it was all he got, Sakuma-san’s tone definitely content as the man nuzzled against him as Yuru had done not so much before. “I really missed you. I’m glad to see you.”

It wasn’t some sort of huge love declaration yet… it warmed Miyoshi from the inside. So, he let himself lean in Sakuma-san’s embrace, returning it slightly as he nodded.

“Welcome back, Sakuma-san.”

His voice still wasn’t sounding the way he wanted to and he wasn’t even really sure what to say afterward. Maybe the best he could do was to let himself be cuddled and ignore that weird feeling in his throat which probably meant he might be coming up with a cold. Keeping this in consideration it was probably a good idea to just enjoy Sakuma-san’s warmness and do nothing else. It didn’t last though.

“Oh. I almost forgot. I bought you a souvenir. It’s nothing special though.”

Although Miyoshi wasn’t against getting presents… when Sakuma-san parted from him his first thought was he would have done without souvenirs just fine. He didn’t voice it though, not quite.

“You shouldn’t have.” Sakuma-san gave him a studying look as he held the package between his hands, as if unsure if to hand it to Miyoshi or keep it.

“You aren’t against souvenirs as well, are you?”

Miyoshi smiled. Really, his lover could make silly questions sometimes.

“Not terribly so,” he said vaguely but Sakuma-san caught that he was only joking and finally handed him the package. Sweets, it seemed from… a French patisserie? Really?

“I thought you went to Kyoto,” he commented. He would do better not to get his hopes up, it probably wasn’t a **REAL** French patisserie, they probably only mimicked one or were a mix of Japanese and French patisserie but still the thought of eating French pasties made his mouth water slightly and he hated himself for loving so much western pastries. Oh well, at least he was sure nothing had showed on his face.

“I did. But aren’t you the one who prefers western sweets? Should I have brought a Matcha set at Ito Kyuemon? Someone also recommended me the Cha no ka from Malebranche…” Sakuma-san looked at him as if waiting for a confirmation, though there was a slightly amused smile on his lips as he obviously knew Miyoshi’s answer already and yet Miyoshi couldn’t help but think it was nice he had remembered and kept into consideration Miyoshi’s personal tastes, even if they didn’t match with his own.

“No, this is fine. It’s the thought that matter after all, isn’t it?” Well, his reply was still more sappy than he wanted to be but he figured it could work. Besides… “Sakuma-san, did you have dinner? Or did you drove till here from Kyoto without even stopping to eat something?” Sakuma-san’s grumbling stomach answered Miyoshi’s question before the man could. Miyoshi sighed. “Go change yourself into something more comfortable as I’ll fix you something to eat.” He made sure to make it sound as if it wasn’t a big deal. “We’ll eat the sweets afterward, once you’re done having dinner.”

Sakuma-san didn’t comment nor refused but the way he smiled and his tone as he simply said _‘thank you’_ told Miyoshi he knew how big of a deal it was for Miyoshi to spend time cooking for someone else and that he didn’t mind Miyoshi’s not so great cooking abilities or lack thereof either. It was this sort of small things that made Sakuma-san… _‘Sakuma-san’_ Miyoshi mused as he moved back to the kitchen while Sakuma-san went into their bedroom. Now… he asked himself as he got in, what could he cook that would taste decent enough?

* * *

Miyoshi wasn’t sure if what he had cooked was _‘decent enough’_ but Sakuma-san had eaten the warmed up instantaneous ramen with good appetite and hadn’t complained not even once about its taste so Miyoshi figured it could be considered a success.

As Sakuma-san ate Miyoshi chatted of… nothing relevant, really. Small things that happened during those three days and that he hadn’t told him already during their phone calls, mostly complains about how things hadn’t gone his way or how people had a horrible taste or how someone hadn’t do perfectly what he had requested him to do. Sakuma-san listened and, here and there, nodded in understanding, without commenting on how Miyoshi was too nitpicking, or obsessed over silly details or too precise and exigent.

It was quiet, domestic and… nice.

Once Sakuma-san was done eating Miyoshi decided it was high time to open the package from the pastry shop. Carefully he peeled away the paper without damaging it, knowing that for Sakuma-san the unwrapping of a present was an important ritual even though Miyoshi personally found it silly, only to reveal an assortment of deliciously looking western pastries. Really, for once Sakuma-san hadn’t been stingy. They looked so inviting… Royal, success praline, plaisir sucré, carré chocolat, mont blanc, éclair chocolat, opéra, forét noire… he couldn’t wait to taste them, he…

He blinked, then turned to look at Sakuma-san who looked like he was basking in the mere sight of him as he watched at those pastries. In another moment Miyoshi would have been content with having Sakuma-san appreciating how blessed he was to be allowed to look at him (and not only look) but, right then, there was something else he wanted to discuss. Specifically the thing all those pastries had in common.

“Sakuma-san. There’s chocolate in all these pastries.”

“There wasn’t supposed to be? You know I’m not really familiar with western sweets…”

If it had been another person Miyoshi would have thought he was being mocked. With Sakuma-san though, that couldn’t be the case. The man was genuinely worried they had tricked him with fake western pastries or something. Miyoshi sighed. Sakuma-san’s concern didn’t change the fact Miyoshi was sure the man had chosen them for that small element they all had in common. And now that he thought at it, the traditional sweets he considered buying… they also contained chocolate and…

“Miyoshi… You think they’re no good?”

Miyoshi was actually thinking it wasn’t fair Sakuma-san could sound so genuinely worried the pastries could be not good it made Miyoshi’s rightful anger at him for gifting Miyoshi with chocolate even though he was told not to, evaporate. It just wasn’t fair. But it was sweet though. In a clumsy way but very sweet. And he wasn’t used to people being sweet to him. Not that he needed it. But it was nice.

“They’re good,” he conceded with a sigh to which Sakuma-san visibly relaxed. Miyoshi had no idea if to find it infuriating or cute. “It’s just I’ll have to change my plans for the accompanying drink. So you’ll go in the living room, turn on the television and wait for me as I prepare. Also… bring the pastries.”

Sakuma-san had the decency to look worried at that but didn’t comment as he merely obeyed.

“Sakuma-san,” Miyoshi called before the man had left the room although he refused to look in his direction. “Did you came back earlier only so that you could bring these home in this day?”

“No.” There was so much firmness in that denial it wasn’t possible to put it in discussion or doubt about its honesty. “I came back earlier because I missed you. That’s it.”

“All right,” it was all Miyoshi commented because really there was nothing else to say. He knew Sakuma-san wouldn’t lie. He heard Sakuma-san hesitating only a moment before leaving.

Miyoshi sighed again. Really, sometimes he had no idea how to deal with Sakuma-san but if the man had hoped he would let this go without doing something he was a lost cause.

* * *

“Ne, Yoru, I’ve messed up, didn’t I?” The cat, comfortably curled up in Sakuma’s lap, lazily opened one of his eyes and gave him a look that seemed to say _‘well, silly human, what did you expect? Still, at least, you tried’_ before closing it again and returning on feigning sleep as he allowed Sakuma to pet him.

Sakuma knew he had pushed his luck when he had deliberately selected all the pastries that had chocolate in. But in those three days he’d been away from home he thought that maybe it was worth a try to give Miyoshi something in some form he could accept.

Not necessarily chocolate in one of those heart shaped Valentine boxes shops were selling in those days and that he seemed to loathe so much but… something he too could enjoy and appreciate and that would make him as happy as everyone else was that day. Because he wanted Miyoshi to be happy and he wanted him to be happy in Miyoshi’s terms so… so he had tried to find something that he could appreciate… and that possibly had chocolate in it.

Normally Miyoshi had no issues with chocolate after all. Maybe Hatano was up on something when he believed Miyoshi needed Sakuma to give him some.

Anyway Sakuma had heard suggestions from people from Kyoto, of how they recommended the Cha no Ka, or the Matcha set… but somehow they didn’t really seem fitting to Miyoshi’s taste. He wasn’t fond of Japanese sweets after all and preferred English tea to the Japanese one.

The meeting didn’t really give him time to go out and do shopping or sightseeing, but in the beginning he didn’t plan to be back for the 14th and, with this in mind, he thought he’ll have some time on the morning of the 15th to find some shop and buy Miyoshi something. Something nice, something he’ll like, something that would make him happy. Something that would make him smile.

The more he thought at it, the more he just… missed him. He wondered if for Miyoshi it was the same. It was hard to tell as Miyoshi wasn’t really prone in voicing this sort of things yet… Sakuma had the feeling Miyoshi too was missing him. Maybe he was being too overconfident. Still…

In the end he decided it didn’t really matter if he were to come back with a present or not. In the end he decided he would skip the dinner and just… come back home. He could buy Miyoshi a present after he was home. He could even bring him along and let him chose what he wanted. After all wasn’t the point to make Miyoshi happy? Wasn’t this the purpose of buying him a present?

Then, as he drove, he saw the patisserie, remembered Miyoshi liked western food and… decided to try his luck there. Finding out they indeed have chocolate pastries had been a lucky shot. Or not.

After all, when he had seen the pastries had chocolate in them, Miyoshi hadn’t seemed pleased any longer. Maybe Sakuma did wrong. Maybe he should have followed his first impulse and not buy things with chocolate as Miyoshi said he didn’t want to get chocolate on Saint Valentine.

Only Miyoshi wasn’t the most honest person in the world, especially when his feelings were involved, and everyone seemed to think Miyoshi wanted chocolate so maybe it was just that Sakuma was being dense and…

Yes, Sakuma admitted to himself, he probably really screwed up as ultimately he had ignored what Miyoshi had said in favour of what the others had said. He had meant well though… but he wasn’t sure it mattered. He should have done as Miyoshi wanted and that should have been it.

He was such an idiot…

Sakuma was so lost in his thought he was caught completely on surprise by the steaming cup pushed under his nose. Yoru stood carefully, tail waving back and forth in annoyance, and moved away from Sakuma’s lap, to curl on Sakuma’s side that was opposite to the one from where the cup had come.

“The accompanying drink,” Miyoshi stated frowning at him the way Miyoshi did when he was challenging Sakuma to refuse him something. Sakuma looked at the cup of hot chocolate under his nose, then at Miyoshi then back at the cup then, deciding that commenting wouldn’t probably be a good idea, he merely thanked Miyoshi and took the cup in his hands. It felt hot. It smelled nice though. It seemed that, for once, Miyoshi hadn’t managed to burn it.

Luck?

He wondered as he eyed Miyoshi as the other sat next to him, also holding a streaming cup of chocolate.

No.

He was ready to bet a perfectionist like Miyoshi, who would never allow anyone to declare himself unsatisfied with something he did, tried making it over and over so as to make sure it would be perfect.

In Sakuma’s opinion Miyoshi was weird in many things… but he could also be sweet… his own weird way. And this was all it mattered to him he decided as he sampled the chocolate. Hot. Sweet. Strong. The sort of thing that reminded him of Miyoshi. He smiled.

“It’s good.”

Miyoshi took a sip of the drink as well and frowned a little.

“If you really think so it can only mean your taste buds are ruined. It still has a slight burn aftertaste.”

“I like it,” he commented simply. The aftertaste too fitted with Miyoshi in Sakuma’s opinion. Miyoshi eyed him at his words, as if trying to see if he was lying or not, and Sakuma held his gaze. He felt Miyoshi lean on him slightly.

“You’re weird, Sakuma-san. And you came back too early. You shouldn’t have done it. I wasn’t expecting you would be back today.”

All right. This was probably the closes thing Sakuma would get to a confirmation to his suspicions. Miyoshi had been trying to learn how to do that drink… which was a miracle per se as the only thing he didn’t mind preparing was tea.

“I wanted to. I told you. I missed you,” he reminded him then he lowered his head. “I’m sorry though. About the pastries. I didn’t want them to… not match with whatever you wanted us to drink. Or whatever you’ve against them. I just wanted you too to receive something nice today and be happy and… feel special, I guess. I didn’t mean to make you upset.”

“I don’t like store brought cheap stuff,” Miyoshi stated and Sakuma winced. He wanted to protest that the pastries weren’t cheap, quite the contrary, but Miyoshi didn’t give him the time for it. “You don’t like expensive food though. This,” he motioned to the cup, “at first had seemed an acceptable compromise you could appreciate… only, when I tried doing it, it insisted not coming out quite the way I wanted. It was annoying.”

Sakuma could bet on it. Normally Miyoshi was very good at everything he did, so he wasn’t used to have troubles in doing something or dealing with the accompanying frustration. It should have been more than annoying for him.

“But then I thought that it didn’t really matter if I couldn’t make it perfect this year, because you said you wouldn’t be back in time so… but then you came back in time and with expensive pastries… and so I had to do something as well…”

“Sorry.” He wasn’t really apologizing for coming back earlier, just… for how frustrating all this had been on Miyoshi.

“You’ll better be. I hate this isn’t perfect.” He glared at the cup. “I thought I would have a full year to learn how to make it delicious.”

“I told you. I like it.”

“And I said already how you’re weird. Or your taste buds are dead. Whatever you prefer,” Miyoshi stated but he then set down his finished cup of chocolate and leaned even more heavily against Sakuma, nuzzling slightly against his arm. Sakuma smiled, wrapped his arm around Miyoshi’s shoulder and pulled him even closer.

“I missed you. So much.”

“Of course you did. Where else would you find such an amazing boyfriend, Sakuma-san?” Miyoshi grinned up at him, though by then he had wrapped his arms around him, and Sakuma for once merely chuckled at Miyoshi’s total lack of modesty. He was back home. He was glad for it even if it meant to put up with Miyoshi’s narcissistic attitude. Actually the worst part was he had missed even that trait of him and that, at the moment, he was glad he was given again the chance to put up with it.

“Sakuma-san. Fed me the pastries.”

“You’re joking, aren’t you? You’re gifted with two perfectly working hands!” he protested. Okay, he had missed Miyoshi a lot. But now he was starting to get the feeling Miyoshi planned to take advantage of it a tad too much, especially when he saw Miyoshi smiling smugly up at him.

“My hands are busy, Sakuma-san,” he pointed out as he trailed them on Sakuma’s abs slowly. “And I’m utterly worn out since I had to cook for myself for three full days. I also even had to fed your cat!”

Sakuma-san rolled his eyes.

“They were all extenuating activities, I’m sure,” but his tone was fond and he was trailing his fingers on Miyoshi’s hair and Miyoshi was sure this meant he would get things his way. In fact, predictably, a moment after Sakuma-san selected a pastry and offered it to him to take a bite.

“That’s delicious,” he said honestly a moment after and felt pleased when Sakuma-san just smiled back. That’s how it should be, he thought, the two of them together and his lover just fussing on him and taking care of him. Just this… just this simple thing… was enough to make him happy. So very happy…

“Sakuma-san… I’m glad you’re back home,” he found himself admitting out loud.

Sakuma’s hand paused only for a moment from trailing through Miyoshi’s hair, his eyes widening slightly, a not so subtle signal he understood what Miyoshi wasn’t saying. Miyoshi’s eyes turned away a little, as if this had made him feel suddenly slightly self-conscious. It wasn’t like him to expose himself so much after all.

“I’m glad to be back as well,” Sakuma stated. “I told you, I missed you.”

Miyoshi’s lips curled up in a smile at that. He too knew what Sakuma-san meant.

“So you did,” he agreed as he nuzzled against the man. “I bet they gave you a stressing time in Kyoto, didn’t they? You know… we could eat two more pastries and then we could move to the bedroom… and once there I could help you relax a little…”

“Sounds like a beautiful plan,” Sakuma-san agreed before bending down to kiss him.

Miyoshi kissed back, pulling Sakuma-san even closer. It was rather odd how this day, which had started in such an unsatisfying and displeasing manner, was quickly turning into the best 14th of February of his whole life. His grin widened as he thought that it was obvious enough how the same was true for Sakuma-san as well.

* * *

**JJ's Notes:**

**1\. Matcha set at Ito Kyuemon:** Ito Kyuemon is a well-established matcha shop has its main branch in Uji City in Kyoto which makes a chocolate confectionery called “Uji Matcha Nama Chocolate” (宇治抹茶生チョコレート “Uji tea raw chocolate”). The appeal of this popular confection is its vivid green color and airy, melt-in-your-mouth texture. The matcha chocolate is very rich and the moment you take a bite, you will taste the sweetness of the chocolate, followed by a bold matcha flavor. It almost tastes like you are actually drinking a cup of tea. It seems it’s sold also in sets that include matcha tea, matcha cookies and, of course, matcha chocolate. Because Sakuma is being his own brand of subtle in telling Miyoshi he wanted to buy him chocolate…

**2\. Cha no Ka (茶の葉 “Leaves of Kyoto tea”) from Malebranche:** Fundamentally Matcha Langue De Chat made with milky white chocolate sandwiched with matcha-rich cookies which use high grade white chocolate inside, and high-quality Uji matcha-flavored delicate cookies outside where the crunchy cookie is a perfect match with this milky flavored white chocolate. It is made in the pastry shop Malebranche and it’s one of the most popular sweets bought as a souvenir of Kyoto and again one with chocolate.

**Author's Note:**

> LOL, for once there isn’t a huge wall of notes!
> 
> Well, actually I wrote them but they were mostly explanations on how the characters were in the drama cd. In the end I decided to cut them in favour of recommending you to go enjoy the drama cd. It’s worth it!
> 
> Anyway this is my (late) Saint Valentine fic.
> 
> If you’re interested in knowing Sakuma actually wanted to warn Miyoshi they were going back home but made the mistake of telling Odagiri, to deliver the message as he was driving and he doesn’t use the phone when he’s driving. Odagiri diligently told Fukumoto… then kept on chatting with Fukumoto therefore effectively stopping him from delivering the message to Miyoshi for… quite a lot really. In the end they decided it was too late to warn Miyoshi as Sakuma was almost there and that his coming home could work as a nice surprise for Miyoshi.


End file.
